Melbourne: Alastair Cook (244 batting, 409b, 27×4) reeled off a record-breaking double century to put England in command of the fourth Ashes Test with a formidable 164-run first innings lead here at the MCG, Thursday.
The stoic opener emphatically bounced back after a lean patch to finish the day unconquered along with James Anderson who is yet to open his account as England reached 491 for nine at stumps on the third day.
Along the way, Cook surpassed the highest score by a visiting batsman in a Test match at the famous MCG, bettering the 208 by West Indian great Sir Viv Richards in 1984. The former England captain earlier bettered Wally Hammond’s 200 set back in 1928 as the highest Test score at the MCG by an Englishman.
Cook’s fifth double-century in 151 Test matches also catapulted him above West Indian Brian Lara to become the sixth highest run-getter in Test cricket with 11,956.
Australia, who already have won back the Ashes with an unassailable 3-0 lead, looked unable to stop the flow of runs in the final session as Stuart Broad (56, 63b, 8×4, 1×6) supported Cook to take the game away from the hosts.
Broad, who survived a series of hair-raising short-pitched balls, thrived in his partnership with Cook, pushing the tourists beyond 450 on a lifeless pitch. It needed multiple replays before Broad who struck a crucial half century was finally given out to a diving outfield catch by Usman Khawaja off Pat Cummins (3/117), ending a demoralising 100-run stand off 110 balls with Cook for the ninth wicket.
Cook cashed in on two dropped catches by Australia skipper Steve Smith along the way to continue the misery for the home side. Smith, who dropped Cook on 66 in the slips Wednesday, put down the left-hander for the second time on 153 in a sharp chance at square leg.
The tourists lost seven wickets for 299 on the third day with skipper Joe Root (61, 133b, 7×4) again failing to convert a half century into three figures when he top-edged a hook shot off Cummins.
Dawid Malan (14), a century-maker in the third Test in Perth, was out leg before wicket with Josh Hazlewood’s (3/95) second delivery of the second new ball. England lost two wickets in the middle session with Jonny Bairstow (22) and Moeen Ali (20). It was the sixth time in seven innings in the series that Moeen had been dismissed by fellow off-spinner Nathan Lyon (3/109).
Chris Woakes (26) gloved a Cummins bouncer to wicket-keeper Tim Paine shortly after tea before debutant Tom Curran (four) was dismissed off a Hazlewood delivery following a referral.
Brief scores
Australia 327; England 491/9 (Alastair Cook 244 batting, Stuart Broad 56; Josh Hazlewood 3/95, Nathan Lyon 3/109, Pat Cummins 3/117). Match to continue.
Cook thanks selectors, teammates for support
Melbourne: Alastair Cook said selectors would have been entitled to drop him over his poor form – before his masterful double century put England in a winning position in the fourth Ashes Test here, Thursday.
The Ashes are already gone after England lost the opening three Tests, with Cook contributing just 83 runs in six innings. But he made at least partial amends with his towering double century.
Cook, 33, said he would have understood being dropped, but he bounced back in the Boxing Day Test to present his team with a chance of victory.
“(They) would have been entitled just because I literally hadn’t scored a run since Edgbaston,” Cook said, referring to his 243 against the West Indies in August.
“I always feel I’ve got the backing of the selectors but you’ve still got to deliver the goods, I hadn’t done that on this tour. It was very frustrating,” Cook added.
Cook broke a number of records along the way. “It’s probably been one of the more emotional (ones) from where I’d been on this tour,” Cook admitted.
“It meant a lot last night (Wednesday) and then today I was quite proud that I managed to back it up. After all the emotion came out, to get a real big one for the team was really important.”
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